--

In the dark silence of his room, Juugo's ears perked. Thinking it a simple play on his senses, he allowed his head to droop back before it startled him again.

The flittering of wings. He quickly moved to his feet, starting towards the window. It was common knowledge birds did not fly in dark without specific purposes.

The pane of glass moved back to reveal several small birds on the outside sill, ruffled feathers against the cool and early morning air.

He leaned down slowly on splayed hands. Are they…?

A sparrow turned its beak towards him, beady black eyes blinking quickly. Yes. They are from Leaf. We did not feel we were in any rush to tell you until they left.

Another made a tiny jump over the one whom had just spoken to land on his forearm. They are moving quickly, carefully! They remember a time in which their coming was foretold by the girl!

Yet another of the flying animals fluttered closer. But they are headed this way nonetheless, and speaking of your leader. I doubt we could make a pleasing distraction, but if you move through water, the dog units will not be able to track you.

Golden spikes of his hair moved just the slightest with Juugo's sharp nod, and as he lurched back up after a hurried thanking he couldn't help but feel comforted that the birds only took flight after he left and not in his hastened movements.

At least something trusted him.

--

God damnit…

Legs twisting even closer together, Suigetsu grumbled incoherently. He couldn't sleep at all, and had to blame it on his brief meeting with Karin.

Of course, his nose was one to strain for the newfound joy of her scent and she had practically doused him in it with that damn hug. He didn't dare curl up, even for warmth, in dread that it would send him thoughts.

Thoughts like the girl's fingers splaying against his chest, head tilting as it slowly inched down…warm breath falling across his upper lip, her mouth finally touching his…

His nose wrinkled. No. Hadn't he just agreed that he would not, under any circumstance, let himself be as pathetic as to—god forbid—fantasize about her? Now that the fear of losing her and the relief of not was officially gone, he found two sides of him in the clearing smoke, fighting for control when he was alone.

One side, the one he preferred to think of his normal side, had been there all his life. Karin was someone he enjoyed to insult.

Someone he couldn't help but annoy and get under the skin of to find every little word or pet peeve that would drive her over the edge. It had only gotten much more thrilling to do since they had grown inches closer; to see her react to him was almost addicting.

And then, there was that other side, one he knew had mysteriously appeared since the day she had almost died. And he hated it.

One that loved her smell and the heated memories triggered, relished the feeling he got from them. One that had sickeningly cared and winced every time he saw her arm, that actually got loose and fixed it, rewarded completely when she thanked him. One that wasn't like his regular self at all.

And one, that to his chagrin wouldn't stop prodding him, poking him about tomorrow and the days that lay ahead.

We have a mission, dumbass, he mentally growled at himself. And knowing her, she's going to be much more interested in fulfilling our part than—He quickly tried to abort the thought but it engulfed him.

Her soft, hot skin pressing to his, arms clutching him closer and closer…his breath hitched.

Shit. It was like trying to deny her all over again, only now even more difficult because the part of him that wanted her was much stronger. And the gods knew just how much it would grow over the unknown time he would have with her.

"Stupid dictator-snake-pants and his stupid plans," he growled. The mist ninja had always been one to go with whatever pleasure he felt like, but letting it change everything about him was something he was not.

As if something had heard his new struggle, Suigetsu's head popped up from his pillow as someone creaked his door open.

"Oy, lazy-ass!" A painful kick to his rear quickly informed him it was indeed the object of his internal struggles hissing at him. If he had known she'd use the strength given from not having to endure the agony of her arm, he would've never done it.

"What!?" he snapped, wrestling himself from his bed as she yanked on his arm.

"We're moving out early—the Leaf ninja are swooping in again."

"Dear kami- don't they get it that Sasuke doesn't—ah!" He hardly finished his point before she shoved him out into the hall. With both arms, he noticed.

"Hey! Don't forget about what I told you—"

"Really, are you that afraid that Sasuke and Juugo will suddenly turn as immature as you and mock you for the rest of your life?" She heaved his massive sword until it leaned to his chest where he promptly attached it to his back with such ease even she felt a pang of admiration. Emphasis on pang.

She impatiently brushed past him, fastening the black cloak already draped about her shoulders even tighter, and he followed, frustratedly doing the same. What had happened to the genuinely overwhelmed with emotions thing?

If it was one thing he knew he would never get used to, it was the woman's bizarre (and violent) mood swings.

Guess things are picking up where they left off for ambush number one.

--

Sasuke listlessly watched as the two bounded down the stairs in what he could only describe as a competition over who could get there the fastest, elbows and shoulders pushing and slurs of hushed words so horrendous he'd expect it from an already disturbed drunkard being repeatedly stabbed.

They stumbled into the landing, Karin an inch in front due to her rather vicious blow to her competitor's side.

Despite being somewhat pleased to see such a sudden increase in recovery and energy in the blood red haired kunoichi, it was like being in Team Seven all over again.

"If you two are done," he glowered slightly, "I need to go over a couple of specifics."

Suigetsu gave a quick glance around. "Coast's clear, captain." Karin rolled her eyes.

"With both Leaf and our stalker's employed clearly on our trail, we're going to need to move through specific water filled territories in the forest nearby. The second the sun hits its position of eight o'clock A.M, we travel normally but at fast speeds. The first town we hit, I'll give you final instructions before we split up. Until I give the call, we stay that way, but in union."

The final word was directly cast at Suigestu and Karin with a deliberate glance, one that the first returned carelessly and the second pouted.

He turned to the door, and without a moment's more hesitation or readying breath he lunged, his team close behind as they dove into the foggy, dark morning.

--

The scroll's scribbled message was only hard to read for its hand writing; despite the dim room and heavily shadowed in some corner's room, he could see every single word of how the next team still had no location of Hebi.

Fortunately, his noticing of how sharp his vision was distracted the hunched over man from such an annoyance.

The eyesight I've gained…

A pale hand rose from the darkness that covered his lap, and he eyed the blood spattered and smeared across it. The power I've gained…

The crushed and bloodied hawk strewn nearby him, the very creature who had brought him the message only to be thrust into such a condition with a simple squeeze from a single of his hands, gave a weak cry.

He glowered down at the bird before placing splayed fingers above it, watching it twitch in mad fear. A wicked, upwards curl of his lip couldn't be helped.

How I will use them to kill you, Sasuke…

He didn't even have to concentrate for his chakra to flow forth and down to the animal's broken body, and his eyes lit up over its glow, watching carefully as every bone and gash fixed themselves, until the only evidence of neglect was its missing or blood matted feathers.

…and keep such a rebelling girl alive enough to help me do so.

The hawk immediately tried to take flight, but he attached his reply to leg he caught hold of before finally releasing it, listening to its panicked flight and wild screeches.

It would be daybreak soon.

--

Even with the wind rushing past his ears and the occasional splash as his chakra coated foot brushed over the water's surging top, Suigetsu heard it.

The sharp cry that quickly dipped into a deep, lengthy moan; he had no idea wolves lived in the area.

"Oy, Juugo!"

His requested teammate's eyes flicked to their corners as the boy fell into leap besides him.

"You hear that?!" he shouted over the fast paced river beneath them.

"Yes." It was eerie how the massive ex-inmate's voice could be heard over any noise without him even so much as raising a syllable.

"Did you understand it?! Did it just kill something, or is it trying to call Karin to finally come back home!?"

"Kkkkaaaaaaapppppaaaa-ttttteeeeemmmmmeee!" the girl's voice called back, irritated and sharp.

He sent her over the shoulder glare a toothy grin and with a growl she resumed scouring the land around them for any sense of incoming life.

"I have to say I feel kind of bad," Sasuke monotonously hollered over the rapids, and she eyed him. "Sticking you guys together."

"Ah forget about it," she yelled back, and then raising her voice so that Suigetsu could easily hear, "It's just karma reminding me I'm his bitch by putting me through hell with that lazy-ass snaggletooth!"

A small curl fought its way to Juugo's lip at the utterly incredulous devastation the name brought the Mist Ninja's face. Obviously she had found his one major insecurity, because he clamped his lips over his teeth, scowling with what looked like he was nursing his pride.

The golden haired colossal had to feel just a small pang for the boy, even if he deserved it with the way he treated everyone.

"The wolf was warning us that this is his territory," he provided Suigetsu with a distraction.

"Well he'd better be careful! One look from psycho-four eyes and he'll explode!!!"

And Karin's face instantly falling from her triumphant and almost maniacal smirk to seething and vengeance seeking only made Sasuke inwardly sigh. He couldn't exactly say he wouldn't be missing their never-ending bickering.

He abruptly focused his attention when the girl leaping besides him jerked her head up.

"You sense something?"

"Yeah! Looks like the river heads straight into town or we're approaching one hell of an ambush! It's still up a while, though!"

Black bangs rippling in the wind and occasion spray of water, Sasuke swiveled to face Juugo and Suigetsu.

"We're going to move through the trees now and make sure it's her first guess! Stay close and don't hit vital points should it come to battle!"

The Mist Nin rolled his eyes but leapt to into the clove of trees hugging the rocky bank, rustling through leaves.

Karin landed in the tree in front of him, and he felt a small contentment that the girl lingered until he was besides her before launching off.

"You know," she allured his attention, "I kind of missed abusing you."

He cracked a grin, shaking his head. "You have no idea."

"Well I still have a round ahead of you."

His grin soon melted into a cocky smirk, eyes surveying the woods around him. Juugo and Sasuke must've landed on the other side.

"Just because I felt bad for you these past couple of days doesn't mean I've changed."

"Really?"

His face distorted in utter confusion at the closeness of her voice, almost thoughtlessly jumping for the next branch. His head whipped back to find her straight in front of him, sailing to the next tree backwards.

Due to his current position of leaning forwards and hers of going back, they were awfully close. Too close, he realized, because she easily brushed her mouth against his.

The shock of her lips touching his after what had seemed like an eternity clenched his stomach, warming his neck and face…it almost made the hurdle slow down as something in his chest winded tightly.

Karin…

WHAM.

The air completely tore from his startled lungs as he took the next thick branch right in the stomach. Her laughter rang in his ears over his loud "Oof!"

Pathetically clinging with both arms and one leg to the bark, he struggled to regain his breath and with wide, glaring eyes, watched as she landed harmlessly on the trunk above him. She must've flipped, the bitch!

Red hair seemingly reached down to him as she kept her glasses in place with a single finger.

"Round three," was all she murmured before spinning off in a complete circle. He couldn't help but watch her back arch gracefully before she landed and moved on.

Of course, it was only then that he regained his muster, scrambling back to his feet and after the girl he knew he was now chasing on every level.

--

XD I couldn't help it—that whole scene of her getting the upper hand on him has been going through my head for weeks. I don't know if you guys felt it was weird or not, but I really put them back into the groove of totally bashing one another. It's not SuiKa without a little loathing, right?

Sorry that I added a little more Juugo and Sasuke than usual. I've loved Sasuke sense I first became a Narutard, and frankly, Juugo's just too…well, Juugo. I love the whole Hebi team. I really do.

Thanks again for being so patient and I'm grateful to those who hung on, because the next chapters are when these two are going to have a lot of…alone time. XD

LoVe,

Houkou.